Numerous attempts have been made to provide a papermaking fabric capable of producing a paper product with increased bulk which provides for a softer and more absorbent product. Combined with increased bulk, the product must include improved flexibility while maintaining acceptable or improved strength. Early efforts to provide such a papermaking fabric are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,746 which discloses the use of square, diagonal, twill and semi-twill weaves. Another early effort is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,025 which discloses using the back surfaces of heretofore known papermaking fabrics. Another development in papermaking fabrics is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,065 to Trokham. This patent discloses a papermaker's fabric having a forming surface comprised of successive diagonal rows of coplanar crossovers forming individual pockets across and along the length of the fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,482 discloses a paper forming fabric similar to that of Trokham. Here the crossovers forming the successive rows of pockets are multi-planar.
These earlier patents disclose papermaking fabrics which produce paper having successive rows of pillows or uncompressed areas surrounded by lineaments of compressed areas. The rows of pillows and lineaments are arranged to extend transverse or diagonally of the paper.
Accordingly, an object of the instant invention is to provide a papermaking fabric capable of producing paper of high bulk and reduced rigidity.
Another object of the invention is to provide a papermaking fabric capable of producing paper of increased softness and absorbability.
A further object of the invention is to provide a paper imprinting fabric which produces paper having broken and discontinuous compressed lineaments over its surface.
A further object of the invention is to provide a papermaking fabric having a product support surface which produces uniform fiber orientation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a paper forming fabric having a paper product support surface having deep, well defined pockets and troughs extending transversely along and across the support surface.
A further object of the invention is to provide a papermaking fabric having improved stability.